What started as a fledgling bakkie bed-lining and canopy business in 2007 is now a multinational organisation with the founder and managing director of what is now known as SmartCap (previously RSI), Mike Voss, having recently moved to Texas in the United States to expand the business.
SmartCap is the world’s first modular truck cap system. From its five-piece stainless steel design to its seamlessly integrated components, the SmartCap lets you build and organise your truck bed exactly how you want it.
The canopy is a patented modular CKD (completely knocked down) design, with the canopies being assembled using separate component parts which can be assembled in under an hour.
Flat-packing of the components also means less usage of space, which saves on shipping and distribution costs.
Today, SmartCap makes a variety of canopies well suited to the leisure 4×4 and overlanding markets, offering a number of optional extras to tailor each canopy to individual needs, which can be assembled in 25 minutes. They are also well known for the RSI SmartRack, a folding roof rack.
In addition to receiving nine Global Media Awards (more than any other product), SmartCap EVO was the 2020 SEMA award winner for the best new van / pickup / sport-utility product and was runner-up for the best new exterior accessory product.
A passion for innovation
According to Mike, a mechanical engineer who now resides in Fort Worth, Texas, the help he received from SAICA’s PUM (partner) programme was invaluable to the success of the business.
He explains that he started RSI (Rock Solid Industries) as a services company after having worked at Dunlop Tyres for a number of years. ‘I have always been very fond of design and innovation.’
In the early days, RSI manufactured toolboxes, which evolved into canopies.
‘Flat pack was key because we had limited space within our facility and we couldn’t expand because we didn’t have the funds. We innovated around our constraints.’
The patent for this innovation was registered in 2014. From there the business expanded rapidly.
‘First we focused on the local market and made sure we ticked all the boxes and then we started exporting abroad. It’s been a wonderful journey. We started out as a startup, just really innovating around a need – a need for us to be sustainable and hopefully a need for our product.’
Today, SmartCap exports to 28 countries and has a manufacturing plant in Texas. They are also employing 420 staff, with 350 people in South Africa and 70 in Texas.
The people are the business
Mike explains when starting a business, employing people is not a primary factor. ‘You start a company and you develop a product and the last thing in your mind is people.
‘However, you quickly realise how important they are to your organisation and that you hold the responsibility for their welfare. Without people, you don’t have a business.’
Today, it is important for Mike to not only employ but to educate, train, and inspire people. ‘They also want to know that they can grow and have a future. People want to be excited about what they do. And on another note, unemployment has a direct impact on poverty and education and crime.’
According to Mike people need to be educated to be able to fend for themselves. ‘And to figure out the work opportunities, even if it means creating your own work opportunity. We need to give the tools and the skills to do that.’
Get the help you need
Mike jokingly describes his relationship with accountants as love-hate. ‘Accountants want to account on the past. I want to account for the future.’
He heard about the PUM programme on a radio show where SAICA’s Akash Singh gave a presentation. ‘I was immediately sold. It didn’t cost much to have an expert come to my plant for 10 days and give really good advice.’
Akash explained that when you enrol, you get access to a retired expert out of the Netherlands in any field you desire. And Mike signed up instantly. ‘It was so affordable, it would have been silly not to. I was struggling with certain process flows and once I got that right, I wanted to know how to grow the market. Every step is a milestone that you take very seriously. Every step, every failure, and every lesson learned has had a major impact on where we are today.’
Every lesson has an impact
‘Harry Reijngoud [Mike’s retired expert] opened up my eyes to so many things. From international standards to this is where you are and this is where you need to be and this is where you need to get to,’ he explains. ‘He was really practical about the steps that needed to follow.’
A 10-day commitment blossomed into a lifetime relationship. ‘He became a support mechanism and a mentor.’
Knowledge needs to be shared
A couple of years later Mike even went to visit Harry Reijngoud in the Netherlands. ‘Harry took me around some world-class plants because, as an entrepreneur innovating new technology and new processes and new products, it’s difficult to benchmark when you don’t have anybody to benchmark against.’
Mike encourages other entrepreneurs to get involved with PUM. ‘It is almost like a magic ticket to any information you need! Why would you not want that?’
He knows it is not always easy to ask for assistance when you need it. ‘Sometimes you need a guiding hand, a helping hand to know what is possible and that there are ways to get things done.’
However, with the help of the PUM programme, Mike got the assistance he needed to scale and grow his company from a startup to a multinational business in a very short period of time.
These days Mike also likes to share the knowledge he has gained through experience. ‘If you don’t share that, you don’t grow and they don’t grow. Everybody gains out of sharing knowledge. Individuals do not make growth happen. Growth is possible through collaboration.’
SAICA’s partnership with PUM
In a groundbreaking collaboration, SAICA has joined forces with PUM, a retired volunteer technical expert programme sponsored by the government of Netherlands. This partnership marks a significant step towards strengthening entrepreneurship and bolstering the economy.
What is PUM?
PUM is designed to harness the expertise of retired professionals and channel it towards the development of businesses worldwide.
A gateway to growth
Under this collaboration, SAICA members gain access to the PUM programme, offering invaluable opportunities for their medium-sized enterprises to thrive. Remarkably, this assistance comes at no cost, making it a priceless resource for SAICA-affiliated businesses.
How does it work?
SAICA members can tap into PUM’s wealth of knowledge and experience, accessible through their website: www.pum.nl. This platform serves as a gateway for entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses, enhance their capabilities, and fortify their organisations.
SAICA’s vision: impacting economy and society
At the heart of this alliance lies SAICA’s strategic vision of fostering economic and social transformation. By facilitating this partnership, SAICA aims to enable its members to make substantial contributions to the economy while promoting sustainable business practices.
This collaboration between SAICA and PUM stands as a testament to the power of international partnerships in driving economic growth and empowering entrepreneurs. As SAICA continues to champion the cause of its members and the broader business community, initiatives like the PUM programme serve as catalysts for positive change, creating a thriving landscape for businesses to prosper.
Author
Marteli Brewis
